LIVE: Alex Eala vs Magdalena Frech – Italian Open first round
- Alex Eala begins her bid in the 2026 Italian Open against world No. 45 Magdalena Frech from Poland.
SCHEDULE: Italian Open
- 5pm** – Alex Eala vs Magdalena Frech
Alex Eala overcomes Magdalena Frech in Italian Open first round
The Philippines’ Alex Eala pumps her fist after taking a point against Poland’s Magdalena Frech in their Italian Open 2026 first round match in Rome.–WTA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala survived a feisty first-round affair against Pole Magdalena Frech, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4, in the 2026 Italian Open on Wednesday (Manila time) at Pietrangeli Court of the Foro Italico in Rome.
Eala battled back from a 1-3 deficit in the decider to secure a much-needed win after what has been a challenging campaign on clay so far.
After pulling off a bagel in the opening set, Eala had to dig a little deeper with Frech making the adjustments and refusing to go down without a fight. Frech, however, shot herself in the foot with her forehand struggles all throughout the match.
Alex Eala vs Magdalena Frech – Italian Open round of 128
Fought through in three 💪
Alex Eala defeats Frech 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 in Rome!#IBI26 pic.twitter.com/hhzr7SlbyV
— wta (@WTA) May 6, 2026
- Eala moves on to face 31st seed Xinyu Wang of China in the round of 64.
- FINAL: Alex Eala survives Magdalena Frech, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the 2nd round of the Italian Open.
- Frech forehand is short. Eala at match point, 40-15
- Frech forehand goes long. Eala 30-15
- Frech’s forehand struggles continue. 15-all
- Eala forehand winner, hangs on to hold serve, 5-4.
- Frech two straight miscues. Eala advantage
- Eala short on the drop. Frech advantage
- Eala misses the line by a thread. Deuce
- Frech long. 40-all
- Eala wide. Frech 40-30
- Eala fights back, 30-all
- Eala out. Frech 30-0
- Eala double fault. Frech 15-0
- Eala short on return. Frech levels, 4-4.
- Frech ace, 40-15.
- Frech forehand goes out. Eala takes the lead, 4-3.
- Frech shooting herself in the foot with another costly error. Eala 40-15
- Eala loving it after a down-the-line winner, 15-all
- Frech miscalculates again. Eala breaks, equalizes, 3-3.
- Eala three straight. 40-0
- Back-to-back wide attempts for Frech. Eala 30-0
- Eala cuts the deficit, 2-3.
- Eala no doubt on that forehand, 40-15
- Frech pounces on a poor serve by Eala, 15-all
- Eala soft touch on the drop, 15-0.
- Eala a bit off on the return. Frech halfway there, 3-1
- Eala great effort but goes wide. Frech 40-15
- Eala rallies to hold serve, 1-2.
- Eala crushing forehand, 40-30
- Eala crosscourt beauty, 30-all
- Eala straight backhand winner. 15-30
- Eala short on the return. Frech 2-0
- Eala long. Frech 40-30
- Eala goes wide to end a rally. Frech breaks, 1-0.
- Another double fault for Eala. Frech 40-15
- Set 3: Frech error, Eala double fault, 15-15
Second set sealed in style!✨@MFrech97 battles back to take the second set 6-3 and force a decider against Eala!#IBI26 pic.twitter.com/8guMSPexec
— wta (@WTA) May 6, 2026
- Frech ace to stretch the match to a decider, 6-3.
- Eala wins the rally and holds serve, 3-5.
- Eala advantage after Frech goes wide.
- Frech drop is short. 40-40
- Eala gives Frech a taste of her own medicine with a successful drop, 30-40.
- Frech drop to move into set point, 40-15.
- Frech in great position to extend the match, 5-2.
- Frech scores on another drop, 15-all
- Frech returns the favor and breaks to love. Frech 4-2
- Eala errors piling up. Frech 40-0
- Eala crushes the forehand to break Frech, pulls within 2-3.
- Eala lucky shot, apologizes to Frech as she gets the adv.
- Frech drags Eala to a deuce
- Frech solid serve leads to a smash winner. Eala 40-30
- Eala regaining the momentum, 40-0
- Eala stops the bleeding, trims Frech’s lead, 1-3.
- Eala backhand crosscourt winner, 40-15
- Eala defends well, 30-15
- Frech straight winner, 15-0
- What a turnaround for Frech, who now leads 3-0 in set 2.
- Eala quick return, 15-40
- Eala getting careless in set 2. Frech 40-0
- Eala long. Frech breaks for 2-0 edge
- Eala saves a second break point, 40-30
- Frech well-placed drop, break point 40-0
- Eala double fault. Frech 30-0
- Eala out. Frech finally on the board, 1-0
- Frech looking to turn things around, 40-15.
- Eala forehand winner to open the second set
Bringing the heat 🔥🔥🔥
Alex Eala is off to a strong start against Frech in Rome, taking the first set 6-0!#IBI26 pic.twitter.com/yFBUAQSAbC
— wta (@WTA) May 6, 2026
- Eala shuts out an error-prone Frech in the first set, 6-0.
- Eala set point, 40-15
- Eala serving for the set, going for the bagel.
- Eala unstoppable so far, 5-0.
- Another error by Frech gives Eala the advantage
- Eala break point, 40-30.
- Eala drop winner to cruise to a commanding 4-0 opening set lead.
- Eala on fire as she breaks again. That’s 3-0 for the Filipino against the Pole.
- Eala making the right guesses, break point, 40-15
- Too many unforced errors for Frech
- A rare, strong start for Eala on clay. She’s up 2-0
- Eala feeling comfortable early against Frech
- Frech out. Four straight points for Eala to take a 1-0 headstart
- Eala strong return for break point
- Eala forces the deuce
- Frech drop shot. Eala trailing 15-40
- Frech ace for the match’s first point
- Frech wins the toss and will serve first
- Alex Eala and Magdalena French now on the court for their round of 128 clash
Alex Eala’s tough Italian Open bid starts vs Pole Magdalena Frech
Filipino tennis player Alex Eala in action at the Mutua Madrid Open 2026. –INSTAGRAM
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala faces an early tough test in the 2026 Italian Open round of 128 against Poland’s Magdalena Frech on Wednesday (Manila time).
Eala is expected to have an uphill climb in Rome, where she could meet World No. 2 Elena Rybakina as early as the round of 32.
But that’s assuming she gets past Frech first and Chinese World No. 33 Wang Xinyu, who drew a bye into the second round. Wang outlasted Eala in the ASB Classic semifinal in Auckland, New Zealand last January.
Frech, No. 45 in the WTA, reached a career-high ranking of 22nd in October of last year.
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